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Why Child Care Centres Should Offer Extra Curricular Activities

July 21, 2019

Extra curricular activities such as soccer can help your child's development

Your children’s development is not something that is done by one person. As we like to say here at Grace Village “it takes a village to raise a child”.

So, it’s important to ask yourself, is your childcare centre providing the most unique, well-rounded experience to your child?

Or are they simply going through the motions each day – making sure that each child is fed, quiet and playing with a toy or two to pass the time until you pick them up?

This is an amazing time for your little one. They are undergoing cognitive, physical, and psychosocial development, learning for lifelong skills, abilities and experiences.

Their hearing and vision are developing, followed by their first language skills and higher cognitive functions. Between the ages of two to four, their vocabulary will quadruple.

As your child grows, their connections become more complex. It is important to strengthen brain development by creating confident learning behaviours rather than trying to reshape them when they are older.

These are your little ones most formative years. Research shows that children who attend quality preschool and early learning programs are more likely to arrive at primary school equipped with the emotional, social and cognitive skills they need to help them to continue learning, and up to 90 per cent of children’s brain development occurs in their first five years.

One way to ensure their consistent development is to expose your little one to as many cognitive, physical and psychosocial experiences through extra-curricular activities.

Red & blue plasma ball

Availability of extra-curricular activities

This is why high-quality childcare and early learning centres offer extra-curricular activities such as tennis lessons, soccer, art and music programs and basic language classes on top of their educational program.

Introducing third-party specialist coaches or teachers into the childcare centre to take these additional, specialised classes is a sign your provider has the best interests of your child in mind.

Children use different ways to show their understanding and express their thoughts and creativity. Giving your little one an opportunity to try as many different activities opens their world and their experiences.


Discover the “8 Little Villagers”

Read more about Grace Village’s own extra-curricular programming – 8 Little Villagers.

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And it’s not just the variety of rich opportunities for children to express themselves through art, dramatic play, music, dance. It is also the way they communicate during and after these activities.

By re-telling, creating stories, discussions and negotiations strengthens their learning experience and development.

Close up of child's hands while playing with building blocks

Towards better development

Preschool-age children develop at a rapid pace. Your child will form more than one million new neural connections each second providing a foundation for future achievement.

By offering a wide range of co-curricular options in early learning centres, your little one builds the blocks for educational achievement, emotional and social competence, lifelong health, mental stability – and creates new pathways to living a worthwhile life as a little human.

For example, 2 to 3 years of soccer in school time will obviously develop a child’s skills, abilities and coordination, and overall their general health at a far more advanced level than the child who sits inside.

It will also teach them physical activity habits early in life and encourage families to engage in regular physical activity.

Nurturing your little one’s individuality and uniqueness.

By exposing your little one to many new activities helps them to explore the world and find their interests and passions.

By encouraging their in-born talents and activities that excite them helps them understand who they are as an individual, in relation to others and to help them express their individuality.

At Grace Village

Children learn a new language using play-based apps called The Polyglots. The apps were designed by language, early childhood and technology experts using ELLA, a proven method of language discovery for preschoolers.

A new language improves literacy, memory and concentration as well as developing social, thinking and digital skills. These language skills carry onto learning at school and teaches them respect for new cultures.

Promoting physical activity & movement

As screen time has begun to play an increasing role in children’s lives, extra-curricular activities teach your child meaningful movement.

Without movement, action and experiences important for brain development and growth, does not occur as easily or effectively.

At Grace Village

As part of our extra curriculum offering, Soccer Pat, runs a weekly structured, disciplined, enjoyable and safe half-hour program of soccer skills for children aged 2-6.

The program involves football skills and fun interaction with others. The children learn skills based on speed and agility, gross motor development and the use of muscle memory.

Time poor families

This is an intensive time of your life with work and family pressures. Families need time and energy to provide the variety and quality of experiences needed for your child’s development.

Early childhood learning centres that offer these extra-curricular programs within childcare time, help your little one enjoy their learning and more experiences, without impacting on family time – a win/win for everyone!

At Grace Village

Our ‘hands-on, minds-on’ learning through our Technology and Robotics program, little scientists gain the confidence to ask questions, and the tools to find answers and solve real-life problems.

Using technology and science in interesting activities include Lego robotics and interactive apps that respond to touch both visually and through sound.

These programs, as well as developing, engaging and motivating interest in learning science and engineering related subjects use bricks, model reality, conducting investigations and design skills.

Ask what your child care centre offers

The next time you are picking up your child, ask your centre director “what extra-curricular activities do you offer?”.

If the answer is none, perhaps they are not offering your child the best experience or early learning development opportunities, and you could be getting more!


Book your personal tour & discover more about Grace Village’s extra curricular activities

Join our Centre Director for a 30 minute guided tour of Grace Village ELC and find out more about your child’s home away from home

Book now

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jacqui says

    October 6, 2017 at 7:39 pm

    What kind of extra activities do you offer ? And do you offer other language classes ?

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Grace Village Early Learning Centre
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I heard about grace village the minute it opened through friends. I always thought one day when I had my next baby I’ll send him there and i had my baby and started him at grace village. It really is... childcare reimagined. All the staff are so welcoming & friendly. They took onboard any information I had regarding my little one and helped me through some milestones with him. We are only leaving grace village because we got into a centre closer to home literally around the corner. I can’t thank them enough for making my return to work so easy leaving your baby isn’t easy but they kept me up to date which was re assuring that he was in good hands. Thank you Grace Village for the short amount of time we spent there.read more
Sara L.
Sara L.
One of the best experience of our life and best decision to have our kid in Grace Village. Best teachers and whole staff. Bundle of thanks to the whole team.Highly recommended.
Zeeshan A.
Zeeshan A.
If I could give more stars, I would! Grace Village is an exceptional centre! Chantel and Ray go out of their way to provide the best quality care from the moment you walk in the door. Both of my... children have attended the centre for the past three years. Both the boys have loved every moment at the centre and have huge smiles when we pick them up. The staff provide interesting and varied activities and are truly dedicated to making every day an enjoyable experience for the children. Sadly we are having to relocate but it is has been very hard to find a centre that compares. We will miss GV!!read more
Sarah S.
Sarah S.
GV has fantastic facilities including a third space for parents, an art atelier, lovely free-play outdoor spaces, and an epic undercover play area that allows children to be feel as though they are... playing outdoors when the weather doesn’t allow for true outside play. No other centre we have toured has offered play areas like this.We chose GV for our children because of their play-based (Reggio Emilia) philosophy and approach. We love that our little people have been able to be barefoot most of the time, supporting sensory feedback and encouraging their physical and mental development.Everyone at GV shows love for our children as they would their own. GV has been our home away from home, our family and greatest support through some very hard times.Thank you to all the nurturing educators, carers and all of the GV tribe for guiding our young man and little lady through their special formative and most impressionable years.read more
Bee V
Bee V
Grace Village is a fantastic family run early learning centre. We’ve been sending our kids there for almost 4 years and we feel safe knowing that our kids are in great care.
Attila J.
Attila J.
Best preschool I could ask for to send my children too. I am a childcare educator myself & I can’t fault grace village. They really do go above and beyond for the children & ensure they are cared &... educated at an exceptional level.read more
Tara A.
Tara A.
My child has attended this lovely village for almost 4 years. Awesome learning center as there is always a little bit of extra effort in every single thing that they do. They have amazing and... friendly staff, great facilities and all round activities to ensure that a child develops physically,socially,emotionally and mentally well balanced. In each special occasion they have given us special memories whether in the app, physical souvenirs and lots of memories we’ll look back on when they grow older. My son is now in kindy but he still misses the staff and his friends there. Amazing and highly recommended team !read more
Maria De V.
Maria De V.
My two children have been with Grace Village from 8months old. Just over 3years later, we are relocating, and finding it hard to find a learning centre that is up to the standard of GV. The entire... team at Grace Village has always given our two children such high quality education, care, and emotional support. Communication was always open and clear. It’s really is a village environment, we are blessed to have been a part of & will miss everyone who made a beautiful impact on our children’s first years of life. Thank you Grace Village!read more
stacey K.
stacey K.
We really enjoyed the 4 year experience at Grace Village.Our kids were in the door from when Grace Village first opened and they managed to create a real community feel at this centre.The kids... loved the different play spaces and they always managed to give the children great learning experiences.We really really miss this centre is was a part of our daily routine.We will definitely miss the awesome staff too (and the odd morning coffee and breakfast treat! :-)2022 will feel so strange without Grace Village!read more
Stu E.
Stu E.
Grace Village is the best trustworthy, professional and reliable ELC you can take your child too. Kind , caring and loving educators who gives loads of love and attention to your child. My child n I... have had the best experience at Grace Village ELC, we will dearly miss you guys 😊. Thank you for everythingread more
Elina Q.
Elina Q.
Phenomenal. I’m so lucky to have found Grace Village.What a team of amazing professionals who care for your child as their own. I’m so sad my sons time has come to an end and moving up to Kindy. You... will always be in our hearts and have taught my son SO much!! I cannot ever Thankyou all enough.read more
Casey O.
Casey O.
Thank you for the last 2 years, my little one enjoyed her time ar Grace Village. The centre is clean, new and has an amazing play based philosophy. I would recommend Grace Village to family and... friends. Chantel is very professional and approachable, the educators are so lovely! My little one built friendships with her peers and has been supported by her educators. I had 2 previous experiences with other daycares that were awful, Grace Village has definitely met my expectations and I plan to enrol my other little one in the future!read more
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